Monday, January 5, 2015

3,6,8—3,6,9,8—3,6,8—6,3!

Today has been great, even though I fell off "The Juice Wagon" big time, because this afternoon Tony and I met our dear "Once-a-month-lunch-friends, at The Rails, in Kerrville.

When Trigger delivered Tony and me safely to, The Rails, Les & Denise and Jim were standing outside waving at us. After howdies and hugs we asked Jim where Kris was. "She'll be here any minute. She and I..."

A few minutes later, Jim's prediction about Kris came true. When Kris joined us, on the patio, she told me that she had something to give to me. Then she handed me the cutest, tiny outfit for Little Debbie to prance around in and an adorable, little teddy bear to give to Alice, so she wouldn't feel slighted. Then we went inside The Rails, to be seated, next to the bar, that showcased their delicious dessert tray right, behind Denise's and my chairs.

Lunch with our good friends was a lot of fun as always and the food was beyond delicious! Tony ordered their fish tacos and I ordered their Shrimp Alfredo. While I was busy, eating everything that was on my plate, we got to talking about the 60's and 70's great music. When I told them about B.B., my new, electric, Telecaster guitar and adding to my bucket list how to play The Thrill Is Gone, just like B.B. King plays it, Denise suggested that I also learn to play Smoke On The Water. The song didn't ring a bell with me, so she made the sounds of the first seven notes. And I instantly remembered that song. "Les, who sang Smoke On The Water?"

"Deep Purple," Les replied.

When the nice, friendly waiter removed our dinner plates he asked if any of us wanted dessert, "I do," Kris and Denise said, in two part harmony. Not wanting to be a stick-in-the-mud, even though I had already eaten so much food, I would have immediately sunk to the bottom of the mud pit, I held up my hand and said, "Me, too."

I ordered their delicious Carrot Cake, because "carrots are a healthy vegetable and good for us," was my logic and excuse for my over indulgence and I must confess that I'd do it all over again, because it was the best carrot cake that I have ever eaten. And, from the looks of their empty dessert plates, Denise and Kris loved their desserts, too.

When Tony and I got back home, I immediately unbuttoned the top two buttons, on my 501 Levis, so I could breath and then I went into our bedroom and put on some old, navy blue, sweat pants, to help take the pressure off the seams of my blue jeans. And I'm sure if my pair of jeans could have talked, my jeans would have said, "Thank goodness it's over! Nancy, next time, please go buy and wear a pair of our Levis' Relaxed Fit. And get a size bigger, too."

After I tossed my tighter-than-tight jeans into the washer, I looked, at the kitchen table and then half-hollered, "Tony!"

"What?" he asked, from his office.

"Will you please come help me dress Little Debbie?" And a minute later, I took this picture of Little Debbie, my little, darling, diamond-studded debutante. (Or a Subject for The Empire.)

After all of our dogs had checked her outfit out, she went over to her floor vent and laid down and went to sleep, which was good, because I needed to go to YouTube to learn how to play Smoke On The Water, before the kids, from the Medina Children's Home, came over to walk our dogs for us.

After checking out four different versions of how to play Smoke On The Water, on YouTube, it was nearly 4:00. I had just about run out of time, so to speak. So I grabbed B.B., slipped the sparkling pink guitar strap over my neck and plugged him into my amp. Then I restarted the last video and wrote down the fret order for the beginning of that classic rock song. Then I flipped on the On switch, on my amp and began playing with the video, as the dogs started barking outside. "Nance, the kids are here," Tony said, as he walked out the front door.

"I'll be outside in just a minute, Tone." Then I started playing the lead notes, as this young, male instructor, on YouTube said, "Okay let's play it. Ready. 3,6,8—3,6,9,8—3,6,8—6,3. Okay, let's do it again...." I played it over and over again for about seven times and I thought I sounded pretty good, until I noticed that all of our dogs had left the room and were hiding in our bedroom.

This evening, I received another hilarious e-mail from our dear friend Eileen, The Obsessive One. Eileen wrote:

Does
this look like BBQ sauce? No? You're correct! Since I've been accused of
BBQ sauce obsession, I have decided to give up figuring out that secret
sauce. I made myself a healthy smoothie for the first time, and I
challenge anyone to figure out what's in it! Har, har!!!

After carefully
studying Eileen's delicious-looking, healthy smoothie for several
minutes, I am pretty sure
that I know what the ingredients are—BBQ sauce with ice chips! And I bet that it would be even tastier with Jim's and my secret BBQ sauce, too!

Gee Nancy, I was thinking along the lines of strawberries or cranberries, but you might be onto something. It would not be a boring drink, for sure. What the heck did George Washington have to do with it other than the color staining his wooden false teeth!? Yes, I will try some BBQ sauce. I'll leave another message with my address. Thanks